Ignition system for internal-combustion engines



Feb. 3, 1925.

1,525,119 A. C. DE LORME IGNITION SYSTEM FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed Nov. 14. 1922 INVENTOR Aimee-u 0. 05.4012:

A TTORNEY Patented Feb. 3, 1925,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALFRED CHINA DE LORME, F NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO TIFFANY MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

IGNITION SYSTEM FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES.

Application filed November 14, 1922. Serial No. 600,825.

To all whom it may concern:

, Be it known that I, ALFRED CHINA DE Lonnn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newark, in the county of Essex, 3 State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ignition Systems for Internal-Combustion Engines, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing and to the figures of reference marked thereon.

This invention relates to an ignition system for an internal combustion engine, more particularly for an engine of the Ford type. As is well known the standard ignition system on an ngine of this kind consists of four vibrating coils, one for each cylinder, the primaries of which coils are led to a distributing block carried on a plate fastened on the front of the engine, the circuit being completed through a rotating member carried on the end of the cam shaft; but since the cam shaft is carried in bearings flooded with oil and its gears also are covered with oil, I have found that a ground completed through the cam shaft and its gears is more or less faulty all the time, causing the engine to miss or fire irregularly.

It is, therefore, the principal object of my invention to provide an ignition system which will obviate the trouble above set forth and in order to overcome the troubles, I have provided a permanent ground connection for the rotating member carried on the cam shaft so that a good electrical circuit is provided for the current after it leaves either one of the distribute]? brushes.

Another object of my invention is to provide a good electrical contact between the distributer brush itself and the terminal post, in connection with which each individual brush functions, thereby aiding in eliminating high resistance in the primary circuit of the spark coils.

Another object of my invention is to provide a distributer block which is simple in its construction, hence cheap in its cost of manufacture.

Other and further objects will be understood by on v skilled in the art by reference to the specification and attached drawing, wherein- Figure 1 illustrates an engine plate used on the front of a Ford engine which shows my distributer block mounted in position thereon.

Figure 2 is a part horizontal sectional view through the cam shaft of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is a view enlarged from that shown in Fig. 1, showing a plan view of my distributer block.

Figure 4 is a part sectional view on the line 4--4 of Fig. 3.

Figure 5 is a view looking down on Fig 4 with the cam shaft and the rotating member carried thereon removed.

Figure 6 is a plan view of the rotating member carried on the cam shaft.

Figure 7 is a diagrammatic arrangement which an operating shaft 2, in this case the cam shaft of the engine, projects. Fastened to the cam shaft in any suitable manner is a member 3. As shown, the, member 3 has a projecting hub 4 through which a pin may pass through the cam shaft, or a keyway such as indicated at 5 in dotted lines may be used. Collar 6 and a nut T completes one way of fastening the member 8 to the shaft 2. Positioned on the plate 1 is a distributer block 8 which has a terminal or handle 9 to which the timing lever is attached through the medium of hole 10. Distributer block 8 is held in position on the plate 1 by the standard engine spring 11, which in turn is held to th engine by a bolt 12. tributer block 8 carries four brushes, generally referred to as 13, symmetrically spaced. To the ends of these brushes are securely at tached springs 14. I prefer to twist the ends f the springs 14 around a small neck on the brush and then solder them thereto, it being undersood that the brushes 13 are preferably carbon. The brushes have a good plating of copper, or they may be a combination copper and carbon brush known to the Dis trade as Co-phite, or metalized brushes. The outer ends of the springs 14 have an extended part 15 which passes through holes 16 that are drilled after the block 8 has been moulded with the terminal posts 17 therein. The terminal post-s 17 have square shoulder portions 18 embedded in the moulded'material of the block to prevent them from turning-orgfrom beingpulled; out aselearly illustrated in Fig. 4.

After the brushes 13 have been set in place in the pockets moulded in the =blook and the ends 15 of the springs are wrapped around the ends of the termi'nal'stud 17 as clearly shown in Fig. 4:, and after the connecting wires fromtlie coils are likewise wrapped around the terminal stud 17, then both are securely clampedinposition. the nuts 19. Inmy construction I pay particular attention' to this detail in orderto secure good electrical contact between the terminal stud 17" and the brush; .13, j

' On the innerface of member 3 is moulded suitable insulating material on which. the brushes 13 track. The moulded material may be heldto the member 3-inanysuitable manner as by themedium ofjthe' holes 20 made in t'he member 8 through which the moulded material passes during the process of moulding, thereby locking the same in position thereoni A segment 21 is; set inwardly from the inner faoeofthemember 3 so as to be flush with the surface of themoulded material, or a separate segment'ofjsuitable mate'rialsuch as bronze may be-fastened to the inner face of themelnber 3 either before or after the moulding material has been moulded on to memberfi. V

lVhile themember Sis carried-directly on the cam shaft 2 a poorground isobtained as this shaft operates in bearings-which are-lubricat'ed u itl'i oil and to get a goodground connection to theframe of the engine,'I utilize a-cent-ral terminal stud 22 in mydistributerblock and. a brush 24, square in this particular case and-fitting in asquarehole to-preventtu-rn-ing; The spring connection to the brush is made in a similar manneras to brushes 13, However, the clamping; nut 23 on thecentral terminal has arecess to; receiVe-theend ofthe engine spring 11 which, therefore, serves the doublepiu'pose of hold ing the distribute]; block in position onplate 1 as well as actingivasa ground brush to carry thecu-rrent from the brush 24 to the frame ofithe engine) It "will be noted that tl1 e brush=-24 makes, contact directly on the end of the'cam shaft andsince the rotating member 3 is: fastened'g thereto, a good'electrioa-l circuit is completed'toground through thebrush.

' In: the diagrammatic arrangement shown in Fig. 7, G illustrates the alternating current'generator on: the Ford engine, 13 a battery andfSla switch which may throw the battery or generator on tothe vibrating coils, only one of which is shown. P illustrates the spark plug in an engine cylinder and V the vibrator in the primary circuit.

lVhile there have been numerous distributerblocksv and timersinade for, Ford engines, I" amnot aware that anyone heretofore has. ever constructed a timer having a eentralgrounding brush for, the, purposes herein described, 7 whilel have shown a preferred form of my invention I do not wish to,,be limitedgtotlie exact details shown and described. 7

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In an ignition system for-an internal combustion engine, a pliate having a'n-operat; ing shaft extending therethrough, a; member carryinga contact segment fastened to said shaft; ajdistributer block positioned-on said plate over sa-id' shaft memberandhaving brushes-t0;cooperate with said segment; a central: contact terminal" halving; brush operating againstthe end of said shaft; and a standard engine spring for holding the distributer block in position on the. plate and for completing acircuit' I from. said: central terminal to theiframebf thelen-gine.

2. Iman ignition system for aminte'rnal combustion engine, a,.plate, having. an opera-ting; shaft extending therethrough, a memr ber carrying-a contact segment-fastened to said shaft," a; distributenblock positioned on saidplate over said shaft Smemben and having brushes. to cooperatenwith said segment, a central contact terminal having a brush. operating against. the end' of; said shaft and conjoint meansincluding a standard engine part forholding the distributerblock in: position on Itheaplate. and for completing a circuit from said central terminal to v the. frame. of the engine.

3. In an ignitionsystem. for an internal combustion engine, a plate holt-ed to the engine and having an operating shaft extending thenethrough, amember carrying a con tact. segment fastened 'to said shaft, :1. distributer block positioned on said 'plate over SELlClTSllfi-ft member and having brushes; to cooperate'w ith said: segment, a central contact terini-nalhaving a square. brush op'er ating against the end: ofisaich shaft, saidterminal being .pi'ovidedflwith .a, nutahaying a sooket therein, and apositive ground connection from said central? terminal: tothe frame of the: engine; comprising, a metal strap havinga point to fitthesoektinsaid nut and having its other ma passing; to, the engine by one of saidpla-terholts 4 In. anignition system fforaninternal combustion engine, consistingofza source of current, a vibratingtcoil having a secondary winding of each engine cylinder and a distributer block with a rotating shaft and member thereon within theiblockfo'roon-l pleting an electrical circuit through the primaries of said coils, means for insuring the completion of said primary circuits including a brush operating on the end of said shaft and a standard engine metal stra connection from said brush to a part of t e engine framework, said dist-ributer block having primary distributer brushes equipped with springs securely attached thereto, the outer ends of said spring passing through the 10 block and being Wrapped around its terminal stud and a clamping nut therefor.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature.

ALFRED CHINA DE LORME. 

